The Lewiston Public Library is a vital resource to our community, but in order to cultivate and grow its mission and its impact, the city must keep the needs of library staff and patrons at the forefront of its decisions.

The people of Lewiston and the dedicated library staff who serve them deserve to feel safe and secure in our public library. Our library is a large, open, and welcoming space — a three-story building open to the public for 45 hours each week. It has been so heartening to the board, staff, and many patrons of LPL to hear our councilors express an understanding of and appreciation for the vitality of the library to our community.

Unfortunately, last year, the previous council removed one position from the library, and this year’s council now considers removing another. Though each part-time position represents a drop in the bucket of the city’s budget, the value these positions add to the quantity and quality of services the library can provide cannot be overstated.

If we truly value education, literacy and community-building, we must prioritize public library resources and security. We must listen to staff and patrons calling for improved security on-site rather than defunding the library to barely decrease the city’s budget.

I urge the City Council to remain committed to its values and prioritize library funding once more, and Lewiston residents to contact their councilors to echo this sentiment.

Tu Biederman, Lewiston, chair of Lewiston Public Library Board of Trustees

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